Time of Innocence
by Kenshin Himura
Summary: Inuyasha has a violent childhood where him & his mother are beaten, all because of what he is. One day, he finds two people that are different... (Bit of fluffiness)
1. It's not easy

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, what a pity eh?  
  
K.H.: *bobs head to some music* Wee! It pays to download anime music videos! *sings* "Back off, I'll take you on. Headstrong, I'll take on anyone. I know that you are wrong. Headstrong, we're headstrong..." Ah, I'll stop typing the lyrics now, but it's a cool song by a group called Trapt & if you haven't guessed, it's called "Headstrong." Lotsa demon action by Inuyasha. Another good song is "Papercut" by Linkin Park. I better stop talking, this is not what you people came to see. *sweatdrop* Fwee! =^^= ((BTW: I made up the mother's name. No one knows what her name is anyway. 0o*))  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was mid-morning in feudal Japan, but not all was peaceful.  
  
"But why mother? All the villagers give us nasty looks & they sometimes try to hurt us!" a small hanyou by the name of Inuyasha exclaims.  
  
His mother, Mitsuya, frowns a bit while kneeling in front of him, "Yes, but we need desperately to get some items & food."  
  
She smiles gently, "Don't worry so much, those villagers will have to get through me to get to you. Just think, you can leave this place when you're older & not have to put up with this anymore."  
  
He looks at her, looking nearly ready to cry, "What about you? It's because of me that they keep hurting you."  
  
He narrows his eyes a bit, "I won't leave you! I'll protect you from those people when I get older & they'll wish that they had never hurt you or me!"  
  
She chuckles a bit before hugging him, "Don't do that Inuyasha, getting revenge is not the right thing to do. I just want you to get away from here & find some peace elsewhere. Who knows? Maybe you will find someone that will accept you for who you are rather than hate you for what you are."  
  
Tears well up in Inuyasha's eyes & the 5 year old rubs his face on Mitsuya's shoulder, gripping her kimono loosely, "I wish that some of the children would play with me, it's getting lonely playing by myself..."  
  
He rotates his head to the side & rests his head on her shoulder, his eyes resting on the floor, "I'm sorry, there must be something really wrong about me if no one wants to play with me & everyone beats me. Whatever a 'half-breed' is, it must be really bad since I am one..."  
  
She hugs him tightly, "Don't ever think that Inuyasha! There is nothing wrong with you! Many people are just afraid of things they cannot explain & they fear that you will become like most demons & attack them once you become an adult. They just don't understand."  
  
Inuyasha freezes in her arms, "... so... I scare everyone...?"  
  
She stays silent & fresh tears well up in his eyes, "I wish I wasn't so scary, then maybe I would have a lot of friends & then we wouldn't be hurt."  
  
She frowns, ~Inuyasha's only a child, he shouldn't have to deal with this treatment at such an early age. It hurts him so much that no one wants to be near him...~  
  
Mitsuya stands up with him cuddled up in her arms with his head on her shoulder, "It'll be alright Inuyasha, you will have a lot of friends someday. Now, let's get to the village & get out as quickly as possible. I will keep you close so that no one can hurt you."  
  
He nods slowly before nudging his head into the crook of her neck & closing his watery eyes. She carries him out of their home & to the village, letting him rest.  
  
They enter the village, immediately receiving negative responses.  
  
"Just lie down & die wench! And take that half-breed monster with you!" one of the men shouts.  
  
Mitsuya could feel Inuyasha tense & dig his head further into the crook of her neck. She ignores the man & continues walking, ignoring glares & murmurs.  
  
"Don't ignore me!" the same man shouts before coming up behind her & slams his fist into the side of her head.  
  
She falls, but twists her body so that her son wouldn't get hurt from the fall.  
  
Inuyasha quickly slides out of her arms & kneels next to her, frightened, "MOM???"  
  
She winces slightly & slowly begins to get up as the man begins making his way to the young hanyou. Inuyasha turns just as the man's leg connects with his side, sending him flying a few feet. He rolls a bit before stopping & begins getting back up again.  
  
The man runs at him & prepares to give another blow to the child. Inuyasha's eyes widen as the man nears him, trembling. Mitsuya manages to dive in front of her son & embraces him in protective arms, getting attacked instead.  
  
She glares back at the attacker afterwards, a trail of blood running from her mouth, "I can't believe you, all of you, attacking a poor child. He may be a half-demon, but he is still just a child that needs love. He wants nothing more than to be accepted & to play like any normal child! He just wants to live a normal life just like your children!"  
  
The male villager just spits off to the side, showing his disgust, "He's not a child, just a half-breed runt that needs to be squashed. He'll just become a killer when he grows up & come kill us all, he is half-demon afterall."  
  
Some of the other villagers pick up rocks & begin throwing them, "Get out of here! Go away!"  
  
Mitsuya continues to shield Inuyasha, getting injuries all over her body. She yelps out in pain, but makes sure not to let the villagers hear so they don't have the satisfaction.  
  
She smiles down at the trembling Inuyasha despite being in pain, "Come Inuyasha... let's leave...."  
  
He nods & they slowly make their way through the village, still aiming to get what they needed from the market. 


	2. Not so alone anymore

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.  
  
KopyKat: I REALLY need to learn how to do those fonts. They just don't like me. *pout* Oh well. I'm a bit pressed for time at this moment, so I'm keeping this note short (and I'm lazy). Let me just say a little more. The ending to this chapter (last sentence) is really corny & stupid, I had to end it some way & I was braindead. Also, I would suggest that you stop reading if you don't like made-up characters. The two friends that I have for Inuyasha are clearly & 100% coming from my squishy & empty brain. *squish**squish* One girl, one boy. Don't worry, the girl will not become Inuyasha's lover because I believe that he belongs with Kagome. Neither of them are long lost relatives either. I hate fics/roleplays with that scenario. *shudder* Well, so much for my SHORT note. Continue reading if that is what you wish, just remember, I warned you.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They arrive back at their home, having suffered a few more acts of violence.  
  
Mitsuya sets the sack full of groceries down near the dining area, sighing deeply, "Well, we managed to get back alive now didn't we?"  
  
Inuyasha nods slowly while scanning her numerous injuries with his eyes. Because he was a half-demon, his injuries healed quickly, so he only had a few while she had many...  
  
She looks at him & smiles warmly, "You came out of it pretty well, just a few bruises & scrapes."  
  
He frowns a bit & nods again, "Yeah, but only 'cause you protected me."  
  
He wrinkles his nose at the heavy smell of her blood in the air, "You're bleeding pretty bad, the scent of your blood is strong..."  
  
She tries to sit down, but collapses about halfway down due to the painful injuries in her hips & legs.  
  
Inuyasha gasps & runs to her aid, "Mom!"  
  
She breathes heavily before giving another pained smile, "I'm fine, just a bit sore, that's all."  
  
He whimpers a bit before sitting down next to her & lies his head on her arm lightly, gripping her sleeve, "I'm sorry..."  
  
Mitsuya grips his hand gently, being mindful of his claws, "It's not your fault, I'm sorry that you're not able to live like your brother. You would be happier & healthier."  
  
Inuyasha narrows his eyes slightly at the mention of Sesshoumaru before his expression softens again, "I don't want to be like Sesshoumaru, he's too prissy."  
  
She laughs at his comment about his dog demon half-brother, "You shouldn't talk so badly about him, but I guess hunting & playing roughly is too much in your blood. I just want you to be happy 'tis all & not have to worry about anyone hurting you."  
  
He wraps his small arms around her arm & squeezes slightly, "I'm happy right here, with you. I just want us to be left alone."  
  
She nods before looking down at him, smiling still, "Why don't you go outside & play for awhile?"  
  
He nods, stands up, and gives her a quick hug before running outside.  
  
She struggles to her feet & stares of after her son, "I'm so blessed to have a son like Inuyasha. He's still patient with the people that try to hurt him."  
  
She looks up at the ceiling, "Oh Inutashio, I wish that you could see your son now, you would be so proud. I also wish that you were still alive to protect him & offer him support."  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
Inuyasha runs through the forest near his home, making a mental note not to stray too far. Last time he did, a spider demon had attacked him. After fighting against the demon for a bit, he had managed to escape with minor injuries. If it wasn't for his unnatural speed, he could've died right then & there. But then again, he was only three when that happened & had gotten quite a bit stronger.  
  
A scream causes him to abruptly stop, "What?"  
  
His ears twitch slightly as he tries to pick up any more sounds & he sniffs the air.  
  
He narrows his eyes, his canine ears flicking back against his head, "A demon..."  
  
He hears the scream again & decides that he should go check it out. The hanyou runs in the direction of the disturbance, his heart racing.  
  
Inuyasha emerges from the trees into a clearing & sees two children, roughly his age, cowering in front of a lizard demon. A boy, possibly the older of the two, stands in front of the small girl, waving a long stick at the demon.  
  
The boy trembles terribly, "S-stay back!"  
  
The demon hisses & lunges at the two, it's claws outstretched. The boy closes his eyes tightly, preparing for the worst. When nothing came, he opened his eyes to see a silver-haired boy around his age clinging to the demon's neck, scratching it with his claws.  
  
Inuyasha jumps off, but lunges at the lizard again as soon as his feet touched the ground.  
  
He pulls a clawed hand back, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"  
  
He slashes the air with such force that the demon is ripped to shreds. Inuyasha blinks & looks at his claws, not expecting his attack to totally decimate his opponent. He must be getting stronger!  
  
He looks at the children, "Hey, are you guys alright?"  
  
The boy glares at him, hugging the girl to him, "Why are you here *demon*? Have you come to kill us?"  
  
Inuyasha's ears droop & he casts his eyes downward, hurt, "No, I just didn't want that demon to kill you..."  
  
When nothing else is said, the hanyou sighs & turns to walk away, "Sorry..."  
  
The little girl watches as he walks away for a moment before pushing away from the boy, "Wait!"  
  
Inuyasha stops & turns around to see the girl running towards him, "Eh?"  
  
The boy panics, "Mia! Stay away from him! He's a demon!"  
  
She stops in front of Inuyasha & smiles, "Thank you for saving us from that demon. You must be one of the good demons, what's your name?"  
  
Inuyasha smiles, "My name's Inuyasha, and I take it your name's Mia?"  
  
She nods ecstatically, still smiling, "Yes! Wanna play Inu?"  
  
His eyes widen at the somewhat foreign concept, "...play...? You actually want me to play with you?"  
  
She frowns a bit, "Unless you don't want to..."  
  
He grins, "No, I want to! No one's ever played with me before 'cept my mother! I've never had any friends because everyone's too afraid to come near me."  
  
She smiles brightly & takes his hand, "Well, I guess we better get things straight with my brother. I think he's still a tad nervous with you being a demon & all."  
  
He holds her hand gently, making sure that his claws don't hurt her, "I'm only a half-demon."  
  
She blinks, confused, "Then what else are you half of?"  
  
For some odd reason, he found her naïveté hilarious & laughs.  
  
She narrows her eyes a bit, "What's so funny? I just asked a question."  
  
He quiets down to a chuckle, "Sorry, I just thought that all of the villagers knew what a half-demon was. I'm half-demon & half-human."  
  
Mia blinks, "Oh so that's what a half-demon is. I'm used to hearing the word 'half-breed'."  
  
His ears twitch a bit at hearing the familiar word, the word that was uttered with such bitterness most of his life, the word that stung, "Yeah, it means the same thing pretty much."  
  
She notices the sadness in his eyes & frowns, "Sorry, that words must be bad."  
  
Her brother runs up to them, looking at Inuyasha, "So you're not gonna hurt my sis & I?"  
  
Inuyasha shakes his head, "Nope, I'm not bad like everyone thinks I am."  
  
He looks down, "...can I play with you two...?"  
  
The boy considers this & Mia glares at him, "Hiro, he saved us & he needs some friends 'cause he doesn't have any. Let him play with us!"  
  
Hiro sighs & nods, "Ok, but we can't tell mom & dad. They would skin us alive if they found out that we were playing with a demon."  
  
She grins & looks at Inuyasha, "Yay! We can play together now!"  
  
Mia did strike Inuyasha as a weird girl, but he was going to go with it. He finally had some people to play with. As for Hiro, Inuyasha could tell that he was still a bit edgy around him, but hopefully he wouldn't be later on. Sure, his friends were a bit rough around the edges *now*, but they will start smoothening out after they spend some time with him. It'll all taste good in the end, like chicken! 


	3. Bullies

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.  
  
KopyKat: Now that I'm jammin' to some music, this should be fun. It also helps to already have it written in a notebook. Tells you just what I like to do when I'm supposed to be paying attention in school, doesn't it? *wink* Actually, I tend to write during my free time in class or during my English class when my teacher is talking. Hey, I'm passing with a high grade & my teacher says that she's proud of me & that I'm bright. *cough**cough* I feel that I'm as bright as the New Moon. *is struck down with Math problems* NOOOOO!!! HELP ME!!!  
  
Shinta: *appears & continues the story* "Ah... just read for now while my creator deals with this dilemma." ^-^*  
  
KopyKat: "DAMMIT SHINTA, HELP ME OR NO OUTFIT UPGRADING FOR YOU!!!"  
  
Shinta: *gasps & runs to her aide* "Coming mother!"  
  
((A/N: Yes, they speak strangely because they are just little children. Ex: "trying" would be "tryin'." Inuyasha -in the English version- speaks that way anyway. Sorry if they sound like a bunch of southerners. I am not insulting southerners either, I am one. Oh, and Mia & Inuyasha are NOT a couple. I'm a firm believer in Kagome/Inuyasha.))  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They made their way over to a small lake, where they were planning on swimming. There was a nice big boulder sitting on the shore along with an old oak tree that had a branch extending over the lake's surface.  
  
Mia runs ahead, leaving Inuyasha & Hiro behind.  
  
Hiro slides his hands into the opposite sleeves of his kimono, "This is our favorite spot."  
  
Inuyasha observes Hiro & imitates him by putting his hands in the opposite sleeves of his kimono. He found it to actually be quite comfortable.  
  
She looks back at the two boys after wading knee-deep into the water, "Are you two just gonna stand there or are you goin' to come swim?"  
  
Inuyasha watches as Hiro undoes his kimono top, drops it, and races off to the water. Hiro chases his sister into the deeper part of the lake & tackles her, both going underwater.  
  
They come back up & Mia grins at Inuyasha, "C'mon Inu! The water's a little cold, but it feels good!"  
  
He smiles & takes off his kimono top, "'Kay!"  
  
He jogs over towards the lake, but makes a detour for the large boulder. It was an oddly shaped boulder that extended over the water like a ramp.  
  
The small hanyou wasted no time in running up the 'boulder ramp' & leaps out into the water. He splashes down a few yards out & laughs when he comes back up, his silver hair sticking to his head.  
  
He grins while dog paddling (hehe!) over to Hiro & Mia, "That was fun!"  
  
He floats next to them, "So, what do we do next?"  
  
Hiro actually smiles slightly, "Well, there are some crystals & other cool stuff down at the bottom of the lake. We can go divin' & try to find some."  
  
Inuyasha is about to nod when he hears some footsteps coming their way, "Hey, I hear somebody comin'. Actually, it sounds like a few people."  
  
Hiro's eyes widen & he shoves Inuyasha towards the boulder, "Go hide behind the rock & whatever happens, do not come out."  
  
Inuyasha nods & quickly swims towards the boulder, scared & confused. He peeks out from behind the boulder slightly as three teenaged boys emerge from the forest & walk towards the lake.  
  
Hiro growls & Mia cowers behind her elder brother, trying to muster up a glare herself & failing.  
  
One of the boys notices them & smirks, "Well well, if it isn't the two runts of the village. Unfortunately for you, I'm in a bad mood."  
  
The two other boys of the 'gang' mirror his smirk, "We're in a bad mood too."  
  
They suddenly lunge at Mia & Hiro & tackle them in the water. Two out of the three boys begin holding Hiro & dunking him. The other boy grabs Mia & forces her head underwater.  
  
Hiro gasps when his head's above the water, "M-Mia!"  
  
Mia struggles, but the boy won't let her back up.  
  
After being dunked again, Hiro glares at the boy, "STOP!!! SHE'S DROWNING!!!"  
  
The boy holding her just continues smirking, that is, until a swift kick to the side of his head causes him to go flying a bit. The other boys stop to see what was going on & see a small boy with what looked like seaweed on top of his head swimming towards the shore with a weakened Mia hanging onto his back.  
  
Inuyasha glances back at Mia while swimming, "You okay Mia?"  
  
Mia doesn't reply, using most of her fading strength just to hang on. He feels his feet touch the sandy bottom & pulls Mia into his arms so he can carry her out.  
  
She wraps her arms loosely around his neck & turns her head to the side, coughing out an unhealthy amount of water.  
  
He pulls her closer to him, looking at her worriedly, "It'll be alright Mia, I'm here now & I won't let those people hurt you. Just keep coughin' out all that water."  
  
He glances back at the two 'livelier' goons coming towards him as fast as they could while treading water. The disguised hanyou growls & runs into the forest with Mia cuddled up in his arms.  
  
As long as Inuyasha stayed in their view, he kept his speed in check. He wanted to go fast enough to lost them, but he didn't want to go too fast in fear of being found out. The seaweed barely hid his canine ears as it is, he didn't need another risk.  
  
He glanced back to find that he had lost them, but he knew that they were still behind him. He was also getting very tired, despite his demon strength.  
  
Inuyasha finds a tree with a hole in the base, a hole large enough to accommodate two small people, though a bit uncomfortably. He sets Mia down before crawling in & turns around. He gently wraps his arms around her & pulls her in with him. He pulls her into his lap & hugs her tightly, listening for footsteps.  
  
He rests his chin on top of Mia's head while holding her in a protective embrace, "Don't worry Mia, everything's gonna be fine. I'll protect you from those stupid bullies."  
  
She snuggles up to him a little more & he heard a weak "thank you" uttered by her. He blushes slightly because of the girl in his lap, but the blush quickly fades when he hears voices outside. He gulps & closes his eyes, wishing for a miracle to happen. As if to answer his prayers, screams are heard along with some snarls. The screams fade away, signaling that the boys had run away.  
  
A familiar scent reaches Inuyasha's nose & he grins, "Mica!"  
  
A snow-white wolf appears in the entrance & wags it's tail at seeing Inuyasha. Inuyasha crawls out of the hole, leaving Mia in there for a few moments.  
  
He hugs his furry friend, receiving licks & happy yips, "I've missed you! Thank you for savin' us!"  
  
Mica looks up at the seaweed & gets up onto her hind legs with her two front paws placed squarely on his shoulders & sniffs it. She bites the foul- smelling vegetation & tugs it off. She drops back down on all fours & spits the weed off to the side.  
  
Inuyasha rubs his ears & twitches them, "I forgot all about that, thanks."  
  
He hears something behind & glances back to see Mia beginning to get up, "Mia! You're alright!"  
  
She slowly crawls out & stands up, getting a bit off balance.  
  
He steadies her, "Whoa, can you walk or do you need me to carry you?"  
  
She looks at him, "I think I can walk..."  
  
Mia takes a step, but begins falling & is caught by Inuyasha.  
  
He smiles slightly & pulls her up onto his back, "You're still a little too wobbly to walk. Just hang on & we'll go find your brother."  
  
She nods & grabs onto his shoulders, "Thanks a bunch."  
  
He nods & grabs her legs just under her knees before running. Mica runs at his side as he makes his way towards the lake. He nearly runs into Hiro, but manages to dodge him.  
  
Inuyasha blinks & looks at Hiro, "Where were you running to?"  
  
"I was going to try & find you & Mia. Are you guys ok?" Hiro asks after catching his breath.  
  
Inuyasha nods towards Mia, "I'm fine, but Mia's still tryin' to get better. She's awake, but she's not strong enough to walk yet."  
  
Hiro lets out a sigh of relief, "Well, maybe we should be gettin' home."  
  
"No... we can still play, I'm feeling a bit better," Mia replies, slowly lifting her head.  
  
Inuyasha closes his eyes & tilts his head upward in an arrogant fashion, "Well, you're staying up on my back 'til you can walk on your own. I'm not gonna have you trippin' all over the place & gettin' yourself hurt."  
  
She smiles after a few moments & hugs him loosely around the shoulders, "Thank you..."  
  
A blush creeps along the bridge of his nose & he looks off to the side, trying to hide it, "Yeah, whatever... you're welcome I guess...."  
  
Hiro notices the large wolf at Inuyasha's side, "Uh... who's that?"  
  
The hanyou grins, "She's my friend, Mica. She was the one that saved us from those bullies."  
  
Hiro looks back at Mica, "So, she's tame...?"  
  
Inuyasha nods, "Yep, but not quite tame enough to be in a house. Last time I had her in the house, she made messes everywhere. Mom wasn't too happy about that, but Mica's cool to play with outside though."  
  
Hiro cautiously pets the wolf, receiving some licks on his hand.  
  
He smiles, wiping his hand on his pants, "Yeah, I'd say that she's tame."  
  
Mia peeks over one of Inuyasha's shoulders & smiles, "Of course she's tame, she helped us!"  
  
Hiro smiles at her, "Looks like you're feelin' better sis."  
  
She nods, "Yeah, I think I'm good enough to walk Inu."  
  
Inuyasha cocks an eyebrow, "You 'think' or you 'know'? If you just think you can, then you're just stayin' back there."  
  
Mia blinks before smiling again, "Ok, I know that I can walk."  
  
He nods & lets her slide down his back & gently onto the ground. She stumbles a bit when her feet touch the ground, but steadies herself with the help of Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha eyes her while holding onto her arm, "Are you sure that you're ready to walk?"  
  
She nods, "Uh, yeah, it was just taking the first step. I kinda lost my balance when I was getting off your back, but I'm fine now."  
  
He wraps an arm around hers & holds her hand (not romantically), "I'm still not sure, so I'm gonna make sure you're steady."  
  
She blushes & looks down at the ground, "Thanks."  
  
They walk towards the lake & Inuyasha stays on the shore with Mia while Hiro goes diving. Mica stays on the prowl for any intruders, especially the boys from before.  
  
Mia glances over at Inuyasha, "You don't have to stay by me you know, I'll be fine on my own right here. Besides, I have Mica on the lookout for people, so I'm pretty safe."  
  
He looks over at her, "You sure?"  
  
She nods & he stands up, looking towards the lake, "Well, if you're sure, I'll go swimming for a bit, 'kay?"  
  
She nods again & he sprints towards the water. *~I've got to get her a get well present. Mother sometimes gets me a present whenever I'm feeling bad, maybe Mia needs one too,~* he thinks before diving in.  
  
He opens his eyes while underwater & looks around. There were glittering objects all around, which Inuyasha could only assume were the crystals Hiro was talking about before.  
  
The hanyou smiles, *~I know what I can get her!~*  
  
He goes up, takes a breath, and dives back down again. He swims around & looks for the right crystal. It had to be somewhat large & it also had to be pretty... and SHINY! Wait, why was he getting all excited over the luster of a crystal? He did like shiny things, so... WHAT?  
  
His eyes widen when he sees a large crystal, it was nearly as big as his palm. It was a beautiful color & it reminded him a little of the Amethyst stone that his mother had pointed out to him.  
  
Inuyasha swam over to it & pulled it from the stone. After examining it, he swims back up. As soon as his head was above the surface, Hiro had tackled him underwater. Unfortunately, the shock had caused Inuyasha to accidentally break the crystal.  
  
Mia watches as Inuyasha throws Hiro off of him & makes his way out of the water, obviously in a foul mood.  
  
She blinks, "Inuyasha, what's wrong...?"  
  
He frowns & holds the crystal out, which had been broken into two nearly equal pieces, "Well, I had a crystal for you, but it broke when Hiro tackled me."  
  
"Sorry," Hiro says while walking out of the lake.  
  
Mia stares at the crystal pieces silently for a few short moments before smiling & takes one of the crystals, "It's not that bad, I have an idea. We can maybe find some thread & make necklaces with 'em. Then, if we lose each other one day, we'll still have these to remember one another by."  
  
He sits down next to her, looking at his half of the crystal, "Well, I hope that we stick together-"  
  
The half-demon stops suddenly when he hears something & listens, his canine ears twitching, "I think you guys' mother is calling, it's time for you to go home."  
  
She quickly gets to her feet & Inuyasha follows.  
  
She smiles at him & hugs him tightly, "Thanks for everything, I had a lot of fun! Also, thanks for the crystal, I love it!"  
  
Mia lets go & begins running back towards her home with Hiro following. She glances back at Inuyasha, smiles, and waves, "See you later Inu, maybe we can play tomorrow!"  
  
He waves until his new friends disappear from sight & grins, taking off to his own home. 


	4. Friendship bracelet

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.  
  
KopyKat: Christmas time is nearly here & that means one thing: PRESENTS! Yay! My Christmas list so far is: Bow & arrows, packs of Yu-Gi-Oh & Yu Yu Hakusho cards, Trigun manga, Fruits Basket DVDs, Inuyasha t-shirt, and Cardcaptor Sakura manga. I hope I get some good stuff! I got a stocking- full of Skittles & Yu-Gi-Oh cards last year, hope I get another one. =^-^= Well, I'll just get on with the fic.  
  
Shinta: *sigh* "I want a better outfit for Christmas, draw me a better outfit."  
  
KopyKat: "We'll see Shinta, be good."  
  
((A/N: This is probably the worst chapter.))  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Mitsuya looks up to see Inuyasha run through the front door, "Inuyasha, welcome ho-"  
  
She is stopped abruptly when he leaps into her, hugging her, "Mom!"  
  
She blinks & looks down at him, "What has gotten you so excited Inuyasha?"  
  
He looks up at her & smiles brightly, "I made two friends today!"  
  
Her eyes widen & she kneels down in front of him, "Did I hear you right? You actually have some friends???"  
  
He nods ecstatically, "Yeah, their names are Mia & Hiro. I saved them from a lizard demon & then we started playing in a lake. Some bullies of theirs showed up & tried to drown them, especially Mia..."  
  
He continues explaining what happened in detail, up until the point where Mia & Hiro had left.  
  
Mitsuya smiles brightly & hugs him tightly, "I'm so happy for you Inuyasha! You'll have to introduce them to me sometime soon."  
  
He nods & pulls out the crystal, "Can you find some thread & make this into a necklace mother? Mia & I both have one & we're supposed to keep it in case we get separated so that we can find each other again."  
  
She nods & takes the crystal from him, "What a lovely idea! I'll get started on your friendship necklace right away."  
  
He considers something & looks up at her, "Um... can you maybe make it into a bracelet instead of a necklace? I don't want to be all 'girly'."  
  
She chuckles & nods, "As you wish, but in the meantime, go gather some firewood & wash up for dinner. Heaven knows what's been swimming around in that lake."  
  
He leaves to go get some firewood & she searches for a spool of thread.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
After he's finished washing up for dinner, he walks back into the house (since the water's outside) & looks around for his mother. He finds her in another room, "Mom?"  
  
She stops & looks at him, "I'll be finished in a few moments' time."  
  
He nods & sits down on the floor with a small wooden horse. He makes it 'trot' around for a bit before grabbing a wooden figure of a demon. With sound effects included, he has the demon knock down the horse & eat it. ((Pretty much the equivalent of Hot Wheels for modern boys... in a way. =o_o=))  
  
Mitsuya glances back at him, "Inuyasha, the sound effects are not needed."  
  
He sighs & stops, "Sorry..."  
  
She stands up with the finished bracelet, "Alright, I'm finished."  
  
He jumps up & runs towards her as she holds the bracelet up by the ends of the thread. She ties it around his wrist & he twirls the shard around a bit afterwards.  
  
He smiles & looks up at her, "Thanks."  
  
She returns the smile & nods, "You're welcome. Hope you like it, now how about we go get dinner started? I already have everything together, we just have to heat it up."  
  
He nods & runs to get the firewood he had brought in. She limped after him, still suffering from earlier injuries.  
  
She smiled while watching him stack some wood in the firepit, *~This is the happiest I've seen him in a long time. I'll have to thank his friends when I meet them.~*  
  
They eat dinner & Mitsuya ushers Inuyasha off to bed. Inuyasha twirls the shard between his thumb & forefinger, thinking about his new friends. He closes his eyes & rolls onto his other side, letting the shard rest in his hands as he drifts off to sleep, "I hope we have fun tomorrow..." 


End file.
